Big Country will release their
brand new studio album, The Journey as they embark on a 14-date
tour of the UK this April. Released on Cherry Red Records, this is Big
Country’s ninth studio album and their first since the sad and untimely death
of lead singer and songwriter, Stuart Adamson in December 2001. The
Journey was recorded on the Welsh border town of Wrexham in an old cold
war nuclear bunker With 8-feet thick walls, there was no phone or internet
signal and, thus isolated and disconnected from the outside world, the group
were able to enjoy a very productive time in the studio.

Aptly titled, The Journey is
released some two years after Big Country embarked on a new era, when
guitarist and founder member Bruce Watson officially invited Mike
Peters (The Alarm) to join them as lead vocalist for two concerts to
celebrate 30 years since the group’s formation. Two years of intense and
emotional touring followed and as fans and critics alike responded positively
and a whole new generation of fans were created, the group, imbued with new
energy and passion, performed at many of the UK and Europe’s most prestigious
festivals, including Isle of Wight, V, T In The Park and Oxygen.

More recently, Big Country has been joined by
another long-standing friend of the group, Derek Forbes (Simple Minds),
who took over bass guitar duties from original bassist Tony Butler who retired
gracefully in 2012. Derek was recently voted Best Scottish Bass Player of
all time and, in the words of Tony Butler himself "plays a mean D”.

Mike Peters has had a long and
heartfelt association with Big Country. He first met Stuart Adamson in 1983 and
was with him at his last ever Big Country show at Glasgow’s Barrowlands in
2000. Mike, who has fought and won two very public battles with cancer, also
credits the words of In A Big Country as literally inspiring him to "Stay
Alive” during his illnesses.

Mike wrote 99% of the lyrics for The
Journey, a challenge he accepted in the knowledge that it would mean having
to look into the soul of the band’s original lyricist, Stuart Adamson, whose
words revealed someone who was at once both positive and pessimistic.
Moreover, Mike realised the importance of following the formula for all of the
great Big Country songs, which started life as instrumentals; a guitar phrase
from founder member Bruce Watson or a drum break and piano melody by Mark
Brzezicki, with lyrics and vocal melody coming after the music had been created
by the band as a unit.

"There are themes of redemption and of
coming to terms with a life lived all through this record, and the process has
brought us together as a family united and ready to stand proud for what and
who we are…..Big Country.” (Mike Peter)

"I am looking forward to the next Big
Country chapter…. it feels right and fitting that Big Country continue the
journey… and as Stuart always said, "When taking a journey, it’s not about the
getting there, it’s enjoying the view on the way”” (Mark Brezezicki)

You can pre-order the album here
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